AGRICULTURAL TRAINING, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT [ZAPTID I]

The principal project components will consist of analyses of critical agricultural problem areas and the development and implementation of training programs to enable GOZ officials to address those constraints. Analyses will be carried out by the National Commission for Development Planning (NCDP) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development (MAWD) and will focus on human resource constraints and organizational and policy defects. Possible areas of study include statistical needs and problems; sociocultural characteristics, technologies and costs of traditional farmers (through the interpretation of the 1980 Census and recent agricultural surveys); decentralization and implementation of agricultural programs; agricultural pricing; present and future agricultural resources and the recurrent costs of alternative development programs; costs and benefits of fertilizer distribution; agricultural credit; transportation, storage, and marketing; and the information, analytical, planning, coordination, and decentralization measures necessary for an effective agricultural sector strategy. Thirty-five persons will receive training in the U.S.; additional candidates will receive short-term training in Zambia and in third countries. The participants are expected to receive training in the fields of agricultural and development economics, development administration, monetary and fiscal policy, business administration, and regional analysis and planning. USAID will also provide two long-term advisors (2 years each), short-term consultants (90 person-months), OPEX personnel (20 person-years), and a limited amount of commodities (vehicles and office equipment). Between 60,000 and 120,000 farmers could ultimately benefit from the training and information generated by this project.